Alcohol addiction is a disease
that affects individuals regardless of their age, gender, race, or
socioeconomic background. Factors contributing to this addiction include
psychological, genetic, and behavioral influences. Alcohol use disorder is
characterized by compulsive, frequent, and heavy drinking despite the negative
consequences.
Alcohol addiction, also known as
alcoholism or alcohol dependency disorder, is the inability to cease alcohol
consumption, even when it adversely impacts health, personal relationships, and
other aspects of life.
Individuals often become
physically and psychologically dependent on alcohol, developing cravings and
withdrawal symptoms if they try to abstain.
Alcoholism is a chronic condition
resulting from prolonged alcohol consumption. It is an insidious and
progressive disease that, in its acute phase, can cause irreversible damage to
body tissues and potentially lead to death. The generally accepted definition
of an alcoholic includes individuals of any age or gender whose prolonged,
compulsive drinking habits result in an inability to maintain employment or
education, sustain normal human relationships, or fulfill responsible roles
within the community.
Causes of Alcohol addiction:
The causes of alcohol use
disorder are complicated, and it can be a combination of one or more of the
following factors:
- Genetics
- Childhood experiences or trauma
- To relieve emotional and physical
pain
- Experienced physical or sexual
abuse
- Family history of alcohol use
disorder
- Mental issues such as grief,
anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc
Symptoms of alcohol addiction:
- Increased quantity and frequency
of use
- High tolerance for alcohol and
lack of any signs
- Drinking at the wrong time and
place
- Blackouts and forgetting things
that happened when drunk.
- Continuing the habit of drinking
even if it causes distress to others.
- Wanting to be where alcohol is
available
- Changes in friendships and
companions
- Avoiding contact with loved ones
- Feeling irritable or cranky when
not drinking.
- Hiding the alcohol or hiding
while drinking
- Dependence on alcohol to function
in everyday life
- Increased lethargy, depression,
or other emotional issues
- giving up on other activities to
have alcohol.
- Frequent cravings for alcohol.
- Repeated problems at work,
school, relationships, or the law because of drinking.
- Need to drink more to experience
the pleasure again and again.
- Not being able to stop drinking
once it started.
- Wants to cut back but not be able
to.
Withdrawal symptoms:
The symptoms when an
alcohol-addicted person tries to cut back or stop drinking are:
- Anxiety
- Palpitations
- Depression
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Restlessness
- Shakiness
- Sweating
- Trouble sleeping
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Delirium tremens
- Coma and death
Health complications
associated with alcohol addiction:
Alcohol addiction leads to heart
disease and liver disease, which can be fatal. It also causes:
- Ulcers
- Diabetes
- Sexual problems
- Bone loss
- Brain damage, including dementia
- Depression and suicide
- Liver problems
- Vision problems
- Risk of cancer
- Immune dysfunction
- Accidents, drunk driving,
assaults, etc
- Blackouts
- Difficulties with finance and
interpersonal relationships
- Problems at work
- Increases the incidence of
suicide and homicide
Importance of alcohol
de-addiction:
Alcohol addiction is related to
many personal, health, and social consequences, such as personal rifts in
personal relationships, heart and liver diseases, cancers, motor vehicle
collisions, and other accidents, alcohol overdose, violence, homicide, and suicide.
Therefore, if a person has moderate to severe addiction, they may regularly
consume alcohol at high levels that might cause serious harmful effects on
health.
Young people are especially at
risk for alcohol addiction. Because using alcohol during adolescence may affect
normal brain development. However, most people with alcohol addiction, no
matter their age or alcohol problems, can benefit from treatment with
behavioral health therapies, medications, or both.
If someone you know has an
alcohol addiction, the best approach is a supportive way. Do not insult or
shame them or make them guilty. It could make them resistant to help. The
complications make it important to treat alcohol addiction as early as possible.
Dietary Changes for Alcohol
Addicted Patients:
Hydration: Taking a lot of
water helps to flush out toxins and replace the body loss that is likely to
have occurred from taking alcohol. It can also minimize the rate of craving and
keep you well-hydrated during the entire duration of the program.
Balanced Diet: The proper
dietary intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, lean meats,
proteins, and healthy fats fosters nutritional and energy reinforcement, as
well as a more stable mood. A balanced diet can also contribute to improved
cognition and help to decrease anxiety and or depression.
Avoiding Processed Foods: Junk
foods containing sugars, refined carbohydrates, and bad cholesterol have a
direct impact on mood swings and energy levels. Choose natural and fresh foods
that can take nutrients to the body and help in the long term healing process.
Vitamin and Mineral
Supplementation: Alcoholism tends to cause nutrient deficiencies and can
wipe out key vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc.
They need to take these nutrients as supplements since they can help in
balancing the body and hence enhancing the body’s health.
High-Protein Foods: Meat,
fish, poultry, beans, and nuts help regulate blood sugar and influence
neurotransmitter responses to decrease cravings.
Limiting Caffeine: Too
much caffeine is bad, especially for anxiety, and hence, it is known to mess up
sleep. Reducing its consumption will help in the regulation of emotions.
Small, Frequent Meals:
Consumption of reduced portions taken frequently relieves instances of energy
drops which are characteristic of the process of recovery.
Lifestyle Changes for Alcohol
Addiction Patients:
Exercise: Daily physical
activity is very crucial in enhancing one’s mood, reducing stress levels and
enhancing one’s sleep. It also has the benefit of pumping out natural opiates
known as endorphins, which may combat cravings as well as improve mood.
Stress Management: Yoga,
meditation, or deep breathing exercises are among the recommendations that will
assist in stress management, fighting anxiety, and relapse prevention. The
patient must, therefore, learn healthy ways of dealing with stress or any other
cause of relapse in order to help him remain sober.
Adequate Sleep: Sufficient
sleep and sound sleep are vital for control of emotions and subsequent healing.
Because alcohol addiction may affect sleep cycles, setting regular hours of
sleep is also important.
Support Groups and Therapy:
Seeking professional help, such as therapy, helps in getting someone emotional
and directing them on what to do and where to go during recovery, like
attending outpatient group meetings like Alcoholics Anonymous.
Avoiding Triggers: Relapse
is characterized by the desire to drink, and hence the, ng that acts as a
catalyst to this ought to be avoided. It is very important to build a clientele
environment that will allow them to come comfortably.
Mindful Practices: By
adopting mindfulness, an individual can be conscious of their recovery goals
and notice feelings such as anger and anxiety; besides, the stress can be dealt
with in the right way.
Building New Hobbies: In
turn, developing new interests and hobbies may make the mind busy with other
activities and encourage people to find interesting activities that do not
involve taking alcohol.
Social Support: Avoiding
negative influences would include friends and family members or anyone or
anything that the patient had a tendency to turn to whenever engaging in
substance abuse.
Homoeopathic Treatment:
Homeopathic medicine for
alcoholism is selected on the basis of patient’s disease symptoms, physical
general symptoms (like thirst, thermal sensitivity, perspiration, food cravings
and versions etc), and mental emotional symptoms. As we know everyone has his
own nature, different life circumstance and different response to those
circumstances. The homeopathy doctor takes into consideration everything to
treat the patient holistically.
Homeopathy is a wonderful support
for those withdrawing from drug or alcohol addiction. Not only it relieves the
immediate symptoms, it also works to heal the underlying cause, whether
inherited, acquired, emotional or psychological and gradually helps the patient
to restore his health.
A few medicines to name are:
Nux Vomica: It is
indicated that alcoholism is in its earliest stages.
Sulphur: It is indicated
for liver issues due to excessive drinking.
Cannabis Indica: It helps
to detoxify the body from the ill effects of alcoholism.
Natrum Muriaticum: It is
indicated for extreme alcoholism associated with chronic depression.
Quercus: It is one of the
best alcohol de addiction homeopathic medicines when given as a mother
tincture.
We, at Homoeo Clinic, are
treating patients of Alcohol addiction by prescribing constitutional
Homoeopathic remedy on the basis of totality of symptoms. An overall feeling of
well being is reported by most after commencing treatment from Dr. Dinesh
Sharma and this is an important marker that the treatment is moving along the
right path. One of the main advantages of the treatment is that it is without any
side effects.